Life Flight Network Orders 15 AW119Ke Helicopters

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce Life Flight Network has signed a contract for 15 AW119Ke helicopters to meet its future air medical helicopter transport requirements. The contract was signed today by Michael Griffiths, Life Flight Network’s CEO, and Bruno Spagnolini, AgustaWestland’s CEO during a ceremony held at Heli-Expo in Dallas, Texas. Aircraft deliveries will start in late 2012 and continue through to 2014 operating from bases in the Northwestern United States, in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Bruno Spagnolini, CEO, AgustaWestland, said at the ceremony “Life Flight Network is recognized as one of the best EMS organizations in the United States, so it gives us great pleasure that they have selected the AW119Ke to meet their future requirements. We are sure the AW119Ke will exceed their expectations and deliver an enhanced capability which will allow Life Flight Network to deliver even greater levels of patient care.”

“Life Flight Network’s substantial investment in the purchase of 15 AW119KE helicopters will lead our air medical program into the future with helicopters that are safe, reliable, powerful and fast,” said Michael Griffiths, CEO, Life Flight Network.

He added “AgustaWestland is working in partnership with us to ensure we will be able to maintain the consistent level of excellence our EMS and hospital partners expect and our patients deserve. Our new AW119Ke helicopters will provide us with valuable benefits like a state-of-the-art avionics package, a spacious patient cabin capable of transporting two patients with full body access and reduced operating costs.”

The AW119Ke is the top-of-the-range helicopter in the single engine market and has excellent performance even in extremely hot and high operating environments. The helicopter, with a maximum gross weight of 2,850 kg (6,9283 lb), is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A engine that is rated at 1002 shp (747 kW) for take-off, delivering exceptional performance in hot and high conditions as well as a class leading maximum speed of 152 knots (282 km/h), enabling the AW119Ke to get to patients quicker.

The aircraft will be equipped with a comprehensive medical interior with two stretchers. In the cockpit the Life Flight Network aircraft will be equipped with the Garmin G1000H “glass” flight deck to enhance pilot situational awareness and safety by integrating the control and presentation of virtually all flight, sensor and instrument data onto the two large area displays.